Lars von Trier banned from Cannes film festival

Danish director Lars von Trier, who yesterday apologised for apparently anti-Semitic comments he made at a press conference for his new art-house disaster movie Melancholia, has been declared persona non grata by the Cannes film festival.

The festival organisers held an extraordinary meeting this morning to discuss Von Trier's very public gaffe. In a statement afterwards, they said that the Board of Directors "profoundly regrets that this forum has been used by Lars Von Trier to express comments that are unacceptable, intolerable, and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the Festival".

The statement concludes: "The Board of Directors firmly condemns these comments and declares Lars Von Trier a persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately."

Von Trier is an arch-provocateur in both his remarkable – and often disturbing – films and his contrary public utterances. But it seems the licence to play the fool that his astonishing output earned him has run out.

As the Cannes board made its statement, it was reported that Von Trier's Argentinian distributor had cancelled its contract with the director in light of his comments.

Taken in toto, it's clear Von Trier was being flippant. In a long, rambling and gnostic reply (see video above) to an innocuous question from a reporter, he said: "I thought I was a Jew for a long time and was very happy being a Jew... and then I found out that I was really a Nazi, because my family is German.

"And that also gave me some pleasure. So, I, what can I say? I understand Hitler. I think he did some wrong things but... I'm not against Jews.

"I am very much for them. As much as Israelis are a pain in the ass.
How do I get out of this sentence? Okay, I am a Nazi."

With this, panicking organisers ended the press conference. As the cast stood up to leave, actress Kirsten Dunst could be heard, still on mic as she turned to her director: "Oh, Lars! That was intense."

Early reaction to Melancholia, meanwhile, has been very positive.
Von Trier's last movie, Antichrist was booed and jeered at Cannes, but the latest film – a curious hybrid of end-of-the-world sci-fi and comedy of manners – seemed to go down very well.

For the Evening Standard, veteran critic Derek Malcolm found the film "looks wonderful" while "the spirit of Ingmar Bergman hovers over the proceedings". While he does detect "a few loose ends", the acting is good: "Almost everyone in the cast shares the intensity Von Trier always brings to his films."

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Sukhidev Sandhu thought Dunst's lead performance "feels like a career breakthrough" with the actress "exceptional" and "utterly convincing" in a "mesmerising", "visually gorgeous" film.

Not everybody is convinced, however. Dave Calhoun of Time Out thought Melancholia was "pretty" but also "lethargic" and "frustratingly empty", "only impressive and powerful on a technical level rather than an intellectual or emotional one". ·